OPEN INNOVATION IN FOOD FIRMS: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES, DRIVERS AND ENABLING FACTORS

Abstract

Open innovation has so far been studied mainly in research-intensive industries, while still little attention has been devoted to the more traditional ones. Our study addresses this gap by focusing on low-tech industries, and on the food one in particular by exploring if and how open innovation is implemented by food companies. Drawing on a database collected from food firms operating in Italy and adopting quantitative techniques, we investigate the implementation strategies of the open innovation paradigm, conscious that food companies are adopting an open approach to innovation. Results show that they mainly implement two different strategies, according to different sets of drivers and enabling factors. These strategies should be referred to with the terms “open market pull” and “open technology push”.